Sons Of American Legion In Belleville Earn National Awards
BELLEVILLE, NJ — The following news release comes courtesy of Sons of the American Legion Squadron 105. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site.Belleville’s Sons of The American Legion (SAL) Squadron 105 again received national recognition at the 52rd National Convention of the Sons of The American Legion in New Orleans by receiving four national awards in August. The four awards – a first and third place Snapshots of Service Award, a first place Videos of Service Award, and a “Four Pillar Squadron” Award. The awards were presented to Squadron 105 Commander James Elsmore and Squadron 105 Adjutant Rusty Myers at a state meeting in September at Somers Point, NJ, and then in turn presented to the squadron membership at their general meeting on 14 October.“At the Convention, New Jersey did shine”, noted Alternate National Executive Committeeman (ANEC) Henry Hasselhan at the Somers Point Detachment meeting. Hasselhan was part of the delegation which accepted these awards, among others, in New Orleans. Two of the awards were in the “Snapshots of Service” competition, a contest that is held by the national SAL Public and Media Communications Commission (PMCC) annually where “Sons of The American Legion squadrons are encouraged to enter [this] photo contest to promote the Sons’ programs … photos must represent one of the Four Pillars: Americanism, Children and Youth, National Security, or Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation.” The competition, accepting submissions from all 50 state-level detachments throughout the country plus from the Detachments of the District of Columbia, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and France, showcase some of the best pictures taken of Sons-in-action throughout the entire organization.Belleville’s Sons received two of these – a 1st Place award in National Security, which was a photo of SAL Commander James Elsmore donating blood at one of the squadron’s five blood drives last year; and 3rd Place in the Children and Youth category, for a photo of 8-year old SAL Jake Myers saluting at a flag retirement ceremony in 2023.There is also an annual award competition called “Videos of Service”, awarded to squadrons for published videos in three categories … Membership and Recruitment, Program Support, and Community Engagement. Squadron 105 won 1st place in the third category, Community Engagement, for a segment done by New 12 New Jersey in their “Jersey Proud” series about the squadron purchasing and delivering cookies to local VA hospitals in the “Cookies for Vets” program.These videos and photos, along with the awards they’ve received, go a long way in promoting Belleville and its American Legion on a national stage. SAL 105 had been recognized with these awards in 2022 and 2023 as well. But perhaps the most prestigious award won by Squadron 105 was the “Four Pillar Squadron Award”, an award started by 2023-24 National Commander Donald “JR” Hall. “The challenge was a way of getting our members to recognize and support all Four Pillars that the American Legion Family [was] built on”, Past National Commander (PNC) Hall writes when asked for comment. “Raising close to $80,000.00, and collecting over 1,500 pints of blood with just so few Squadrons reporting, shows us all the work we are doing.”Belleville 105 was one of only two squadrons in New Jersey to receive the award, with the other being Squadron 262 of Audubon. The criteria to receive the award was very clearly written out, based on donations supporting each Pillar of the organization. Squadrons had to make a donation at $1 per member to Operation Comfort Warriors (OCW), an American Legion program representing the veteran’s affairs pillar, where money is provided to eligible veterans needing items vital to recovery not provided by the VA. For Children and Youth, a per-capita donation is also made to the American Legion Child Welfare Foundation (CWF), and for the Americanism Pillar the Sons make a donation to their post’s Boys State program to send a delegate to the national program. Finally, for National Security, the squadron is required to run or make a donation in assisting in running a blood drive.Squadron 105 made all three donations, with $250 going to both OCW and CWF, and $300 to fund sending a delegate from Belleville High School to American Legion Jersey Boys State. The Sons have also run five blood drives with the New York Blood Center (NYBC) to date, collecting in total 139 pints of blood. PNC Hall wrote Belleville’s Sons, “…congrats to your Squadron for getting it done.”Thomas Deal of Maryland, PNC Hall’s National Aide during his leadership year, provided the stats for the Four Pillars Challenge - 128 squadrons participated from 33 detachments across the organization, with donations recorded for CWF at $33,743, for OCW at $17,793, for Americanism and Boys State $21,727, and for National Security $6,021 along 1,556 pints of blood collected. 36 of those squadrons receiving the award didn’t provide figures, so these numbers are much higher.This award, and all of these statistics, show that Belleville’s Sons of the American Legion squadron is doing its part to contribute to the overall mission of the greater organization, supporting our veterans and our children both here at home and nationwide. As Sons, we take great pride that we are as PNC Hall’s slogan for his year states “Representing More Then Me” … each of us is donating time and talent in doing good things to honor the veteran through whom we are eligible for membership. If you as the reader are interested, and are eligible to become a member of the SAL through your parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents military service, we encourage you to look into joining us – we do make a difference. Find your local American Legion Post, and see if they have an active Sons of The American Legion squadron.The American Legion was chartered and incorporated by Congress in 1919 as a patriotic veterans organization devoted to mutual helpfulness. It is the nation’s largest wartime veterans service organization, committed to mentoring youth and sponsorship of wholesome programs in our communities, advocating patriotism and honor, promoting strong national security, and continued devotion to our fellow service members and veterans. Founded in 1932, Sons of The American Legion exists to honor the service and sacrifice of Legionnaires, and is open to all male sons and grandsons of eligible veterans. Completing the Legion Family, in the spirit of Service, Not Self, the mission of the American Legion Auxiliary is to support The American Legion and to honor the sacrifice of those who serve by enhancing the lives of our veterans, military, and their families, both at home and abroad.Don’t forget to visit the Patch Belleville-Nutley Facebook page. Send local news tips and correction requests to [email protected]. Learn more about advertising on Patch here.The article Sons Of American Legion In Belleville Earn National Awards appeared first on Belleville-Nutley, NJ Patch.
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